


Four Horsemen

by ZoneRobotnik



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Apocalypse, The future sucks, just bros taking over the world, they are the apocalypse, where's the flying cars?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-08 19:10:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7769707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 3015 and the world has fallen into debauchery and disgrace. Danny splits himself into two and decides to be the hero by taking out all the bad in the world and starting it over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman & Nickelodeon

It's the year 3015. The world has fallen into chaos and corruption while rising in technological advances. Greed is rampant, and selfishness is everywhere. Hunting the homeless is now a sport, and people takes bets on how long they survive. All political positions have been filled by people looking out only for themselves and laugh at the pains of the people. This is the world that Danny Fenton found himself _still alive_ in.

Turns out that being half-ghost made you immortal. Who knew? All that time he spent changing into a ghost had been lengthening his lifespan infinitum. His ghost DNA made him immune for human disease, and no one was even trying to kill him for glory anymore. His name, like other greats of the past, had disappeared into legend. He hardly changed into ghost form anymore, not seeing the point. He could use his powers to help people even without being conspicuous, so he didn't even have to do that.

He had lost his parents, sister, friends all to old age long ago. His only friends were the ghosts, and even they were falling to the corruption that riddled the human world. And the only person that could possibly understand him was off in space somewhere. Maybe he didn't  _want_ to come back. Maybe he already had, and then left after seeing what humans have become.

He phased through a pickpocket's hand as he passed through a crowd, leaving their hand empty and feeling tingly and them feeling confused. He kept his hood on as he avoided the leering gazes of hunters looking for the next homeless person to harass. What had happened to their world? They kept voting sickening people into power, and now it was like The Purge – only it wasn't just one day. Laws were a thing only for those that could afford to put money in the pockets of the politicians.

It was disgusting. And it's why things are the way they are now. His eyes flashed green as he heard the  _whoosh_ of something heavy coming his way and he threw out a hand, catching it and shocking the wielder.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you.” He said coolly. The crowbar started to be covered with ice where he gripped it and the man shrieked and let go, running away. Danny looked at the crowbar and then dropped it, the ice gone from it entirely in case anyone checked. Then he walked on, slipping his hand back into his pocket.

“You don't have to stay out here, y'know.”

He paused, looking to the side. His clone, Danielle, was leaning against a building. “You could come live with me.” She offered.

“You've made your home with criminals and pickpockets, Dani. That's not mine.” He turned to walk on.

“Then go live in the Ghost Zone instead of moping around all the time!” She snapped. “You're barely human anyway!”

“I'm still human enough to care about this rotten world.” He looked to the side. “I stopped him for this?” He murmured. “If he'd had his way, this would've never happened.”

“You mean Vlad?” She asked.

“Sort of. I guess him too.” Danny sighed. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe this world doesn't deserve to be saved. Look what it's become. Half of Russia is gone, we lost Japan, America's a mess...”

“Danny, this isn't your fault. It's human error.” Dani sighed, shaking her head. “C'mon, we have soup.”

“I'm not hungry.” He walked off, heading for the old FentonWorks building. He kept it mostly for nostalgia, plus there was the ghost portal to worry about. He unlocked the door and stepped in, closing it behind him. The place was dark; he'd stopped paying for utilities a long time ago. The only reason the house wasn't taken was because anyone who tried was chased away by a Ghostly Wail. He walked downstairs into the basement and stared at the only source of light, the glowing ghost portal. It had stopped needing to be maintained by the power almost 100 years ago, having been left open so long that it was a permanent fixture, a rip between dimensions. Potentially dangerous, if the ghosts didn't know to stay out of his “lair”.

He turned his attention to another glowing device in the corner, the only device he still used. A giant standing dream-catcher, a net to catch ghost energy. He walked over and moved it to the middle of the room, then changed form into Danny Phantom before he flew up and into it.

Two Dannys came out on the other side, one human and one ghost. The human got up and dusted himself off as the ghost set down next to him.

“So, we are facing a moral conundrum.” Phantom began.

“Nice to see you again, too.” Danny said, rolling his eyes.

“Danny, you know as well as I that wasting time on pleasantries is pointless.” Phantom sighed, looking weary of everything.

“Okay, fine. We're at a moral crossroads.” Danny prompted.

“Yes.” Phantom nodded. “The world is in need of a hero, but the only way to save it would be to become a villain in their eyes. What should we do?”

“There's a fiiiiiine line between hero and villain, dude.” Danny replied, adjusting his plaid shirt. “In The Bible, God turned entire cities to salt because they got this bad. I don't see him doing that now, so someone has to clean the place up.”

“Since when have we been religious?” Phantom stared at him incredulously.

“We're not, The Bible was just one of the many books we've read.” Danny replied. “So, here's what we can do. We can either set loose the monster on the world, or become him ourselves. Personally, I think we can work together. I have no love for this world anymore. Let's watch it burn – you, me, and Dan Phantom. Plasmius can join us too, whenever he decides to come back. Then we can rebuild it however we want.”

“We're all male, though. And you'd die.” Phantom frowned.

“Ehhh, we'll see about that. I've had your DNA attached to mine so long, I don't even feel human anymore. Want me to run in front of a car and see if I crush it like Clark Kent?” Danny grinned.

“Uhh, I think we can do other tests to see if you're still human.” Phantom said, looking around the lab. “Something not so...potentially lethal.”

“Anyways, back on topic. We'll worry about if I'm still immortal _after_ we 'cleanse the world'.” Danny said, making quotation marks with his fingers at the end. “Seriously, though, where is God if he's real? Shouldn't he have already been taking care of this? Where's the prophecised war of Heaven and Hell, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?”

“Maybe _we_ are.” Phantom mused. “I would like to find Plasmius before we unleash Dan Phantom. Get his input on it.”

“So, what, we're going to space?” Danny asked.

“We'll have to merge again for a little while.” Phantom turned to the machine. “I doubt you can breathe in space...”

“Or we could just go steal a spaceship.” Danny crossed his arms over his chest. “It's 3015! We should be on _colonies_ right now! Let's go steal a spaceship!”  
  
Phantom looked thoughtful. “Well...I suppose they were created through morally-wrong means. Very well, we will steal a spaceship.”  
  
“YES!” Danny did a fist-pump. “SPACESHIP!”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Phantom storm NASA and find a terrible secret!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman & Nickelodeon

They made plans and broke into NASA the following night. Danny had gone out and asked if Danny wanted to help, but she had too many homeless children to care for and refused to join them in their takeover scheme. Therefore, it was just the two of them.  
  
“Broke in” is a bit of a strange word for it. Ghosts had been so little of a perceived threat that no one used ghost shields anymore, and Phantom just phased through the wall past the guards, carrying Danny with him. Then, invisible, they went from floor to floor, trying to find the spaceship dock.  
  
They were halfway through the third floor when Phantom's ghost-sense went off and he stopped short, his face pale. “What's up?” Danny asked, looking at him.  
  
“...Come on.” Phantom pulled him along to a door and reached out to open it, halting when he felt a familiar tingle. “...Ghost shield.” He whispered. “They have a ghost trapped in here.”  
  
“What? Dude, that's messed up.” Danny frowned.  
  
“We need to get inside.” Phantom looked around.  
  
Danny looked around and saw a guard walking by, whistling some random tune. Grinning, he left Phantom's side, alarming the guy by turning visible, and threw a punch that knocked him out cold. “Nice!” He grinned, kneeling next to him. “Okay, man, where's the keeeeeeyyyyyyyythere.” He pulled a keycard from the unconscious man's pocket and got up to head for the door.  
  
And then the alarm sounded. Danny groaned and looked at Phantom, who had turned visible. “Cover me, bro.”  
  
Phantom nodded and prepared an attack, turning to the approaching guards. Danny slid the keycard into the slot and the doors opened. Then he tested the shield before passing through. He felt a little tingle, but not enough to prevent his enter. Which was more than he used to feel. Hm.?  
  
He looked over at Phantom battling the guards and then looked back as he saw a pod-like machine in the center, all sorts of wires hooked up to it. It seemed to the generator of the place, he realized, and he walked over to it. “Okay....why is there a ghost shield around this place? Where's the ghost He saw a control panel and smashed his fist against it repeatedly until steam escaped the sides of the machine and it opened up. “There we go, coooome to—Vlad?!”  
  
To his shock and horror, Vlad Plasmius was chained to the pod, unconscious, half-naked and looking weak. “Holy shit, dude...” He breathed. “Uh, Phantom! It's Vlad!”  
  
“What?!” Phantom called back. “It's WHAT?!”  
  
“I'll tell you when I get him out! Clear the way!” He bashed on the keyboard a few more times until the chains unlocked and Vlad fell to his knees. Danny noticed wires attached to Vlad's body in various places. He reached over and took them all out carefully, the lights flickering and then dying as soon as they left his body. “Ew, gross, Vlad energy. I wonder if we just shut down the entire city's power?” He looked over as Phantom finished beating up the guards and came inside, the shield now inoperable.  
  
“Alright, what did you—Plasmius?!” Phantom cried, stepping back in horror.  
  
“Yep. Guess what was powering this place? This answers why he never came back all these years. Who knows how long he's been in here?” Danny frowned and nudged Vlad. “It bugs me that he's unconscious and in Plasmius state...maybe he'll know. Let's get him outta here, bro.”  
  
“Yeah.” Phantom walked over and turned them invisible while Danny supported Vlad. “Let's go.”  
  
They escaped while the building was panicking about being out of power, someone yelling to turn on the backup generator – Danny hoped that wasn't another ghost – and soon they were back at their home in Amity Park.  
  
“When do you think he'll wake up?” Danny asked as Phantom laid him on his parents' old bed. “To think that they were using him for energy...yikes.”  
  
“We need to get him some food.” Phantom sighed. “You watch him, I'm going to go contact Lunch Lady and tell her we need food. I'm also going to get Skulker, he's pretty good with medical stuff. And he's Vlad's friend, last I heard.”  
  
“Yeah, you go. I'll stay.” Danny nodded. “I'll try to keep him calm if he wakes up before you get back.”  
  
“Thanks.” Phantom flew out, heading for the basement.  
  
Danny sighed, looking at his old archenemy. “Man, they really fucked you up, dude.” He muttered. “Hope you can form your own clothes, 'cause I don't got nothing for you to wear.”  
  
 **–**  
  
Phantom returned with Lunch Lady, Skulker, and food for Vlad to find that Vlad had woken up and left the bed. “Danny?” Phantom looked around.  
  
“Shh.” Danny poked his head out of his room. “Vlad's taking a moment.”  
  
“Well, we have food for him. How is he doing?” Phantom asked.  
  
“Not good. I mean, he's not speaking at all, and is just looking at the pictures sadly.” Danny sighed. “Kind of like we did, the first few years after...well, y'know.”  
  
“He's mourning.” Phantom sighed. “Well, we'll go set the table, tell him food is here when he's ready.” He flew back downstairs. “He's in mourning. Poor guy...”  
  
Skulker nodded, looking at an old picture of the Fenton family. “It's been so long...how do you cope?”  
  
“We try not to think about it.” Phantom admitted. “But, y'now, it's not like they died in a horrible explosion, or something. They lived to old ages and passed on.”  
  
“Do you talk to your descendants?” Lunch Lady asked as she set the table with glowing food.  
  
“Mm, we think after the third generation they got freaked out about us not aging any older than our 30s.” Phantom sighed. “We stopped getting invites to the family gatherings.”  
  
“Sounds rough. You still come to our Christmas Truce gatherings, though.” Skulker pointed out.  
  
“Of course. You guys have all been here for us, it's just...” He sighed. “Some of the newer ghosts, though, are just as bad as before they died.”  
  
“Walker's got his hands full, even with Bullet helping out.” Walker looked at him. “You could help?”  
  
“No, we have another plan.” Phantom shook his head. “We're going to free Dan Phantom and clean up the world.”  
  
“Dan Phantom? From what you told me, he's bad news.” Skulker frowned.  
  
“He's what this world needs. What it deserves.” Phantom clenched his fists. “Starting with the President of the United States.”  
  
“You're going to kill the President?” Lunch Lady asked.  
  
“Among others.” Phantom shrugged.  
  
“Such a bloodthirsty resolution. How strange.” Plasmius' voice was weak, like he hasn't used it in a long time. It lacked the power, the authority it used to have. Once it could terrify Danny. Now? It wasn't even worthy of a nervous glance to the side.  
  
The humans' fault. “I see you're capable of speech.” Phantom said, turning to see Plasmius coming downstairs with Danny ahead of him. “That's good to see.”  
  
Plasmius nodded, stumbling a bit as he got off the stairs. Danny helped him and then they went to the table, sitting him down. “Thank you, my boy.” He said quietly.  
  
“Are you able to change to human form still?” Phantom asked as Lunch Lady served Vlad up a plateful of food.  
  
“I should be able to. I didn't lose it, I'm still...a halfa.” Vlad looked at his hand. “I haven't changed in so long, though...”  
  
“We'll try it after you've eaten. I imagine your human form would be starved and might possibly die if you were to change now. In fact, better wait a while before you change.” Lunch Lady suggested.  
  
“Good idea. It has been...a _very_ long time. What year is it?” Vlad looked at Danny.  
  
“3015, dude. You've been gone 1010 years.” Danny replied. “'Course, I don't know how long they had you, so you might've been in space a shorter time. Anyway, you should eat. Hey, can I have some of that?” He grabbed a piece of meat off the table and took a bite.  
  
“Well, I suppose we have been living on ghost-tainted food since we were born.” Phantom commented as Danny grabbed himself a chair and a plate and started to chow down with Vlad.  
  
“Are you going to eat any?” Skulker asked.  
  
“No, Danny's eating for me.” Phantom shook his head.  
  
“Right. So, this plan of yours...are you recruiting?” Skulker asked.  
  
“Why, you wanna help?” Danny asked with his mouth full of food. As a result, the sentence was completely incomprehensible.  
  
“You wish to join our cause?” Phantom translated, then shot Danny a “Don't talk with your mouth full!” scolding.  
  
“Yes. And I know many others who would also like to.” Skulker said, nodding.  
  
“I will give support from the sidelines, but I'm not going to fight. Though, my husband and daughter might like to help.” Lunch Lady commented.  
  
“Especially since the humans have taken to capturing us and using us as _fuel_.” Skulker scowled.  
  
“NASA might not be the only place.” Phantom nodded. “The humans have gone too far. We thought they were leaving us alone, but we were wrong. A thousand years ago we ghosts risked everything to show ourselves to the humans to save this planet, and THIS is the thanks we get?!”  
  
“Chill.” Danny spoke up. “You'll wear yourself out getting overexcited. You used a lot of energy today, you should rest.” He set down his fork and got up. “C'mon, dude. I'll take care of Plas, you go sleep.”  
  
“You need sleep as well.” Phantom frowned.  
  
“As often as we've had all-nighters? I'll just steal some caffeine, you guys can watch the place while i'm out, right?” Danny headed for the front door.  
  
“Daniel.” Phantom said firmly. “You will NOT steal.”  
  
“Dude, we were just talking about going to kill people, and you're worried about me _stealing_?” Danny turned to him with an incredulous look.  
  
“Well, I...we..”  
  
“Go to bed, man.” Danny opened the door and walked out.  
  
“...He does have a point.” Phantom sighed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phantom is facing a moral conundrum.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny runs into Danielle on the street and invites her over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman & Nickelodeon

“Hey, sweet-cheeks.” Danielle tensed as she heard a guy leering at her. “What's your sign, baby?”

“How about 'Do Not Enter'?” She heard, and looked over to see Danny holding the guy's arm behind his back roughly. “Leave my cousin alone, capisce? Before I break your bones.”

“W-Who the hell are you?! Lemme go!” The man struggling in his hold.

“Danny.” Danielle held her “shopping” closer. “I thought you were going to space?”

“Funny story, that.” Danny said, ignoring the guy's pained pleas to let him go. “We never got to the spaceships before we found Vlad.”

“What?” Danielle frowned.

“Come over to our place, I'll lead the way.” He shoved the guy to the side and he got up and scurried away while nursing his injured arm and pride.

“I have to feed the kids.” Danielle shook her head. “I'll come by later, after one of the other adults gets back.”

“Want me to walk you back?” Danny asked.

Danielle considered it for a bit before nodding. “Yeah, please.”

“No prob.” Danny nodded, and then they started off. “Hey, can you teach me some of your tricks?”

“Tricks?” She asked.

“Yeah, for your 'shopping'.” He grinned.

“I thought you were against it? Wait, you're the other guy, aren't you?” Danielle looked at him. “His evil half or something?”

“Uh, not evil, thanks. I'm the _fun_ Danny, not the _evil_ Danny. That's some other dickhead.” Danny corrected her.

“Okay, so the _fun_ half, then. I guess you're not against my 'shopping'?” Danielle asked.

“Duh, or else I wouldn't be asking. And if Phantom has issues with it, he can take it up with me.” Danny crossed his arms over his chest.

“Okay...well, I actually...use my powers. So, I don't know if you could copy my 'skills'.” Danielle admitted.

“Damn, nope. He's got the powers, I've just got the charm.” He shook his head.

Danielle giggled. “What little charm you have, that is.”

“Oh, ouch. Need I remind you I'm a grandpa by a few generations?” Danny asked.

“Still a dumbass.” She playfully shoved him with a giggle.

He grinned. “Can't argue with that! Sam called me a dumbass up until she died.” He sighed wistfully.

“So did Tucker, and Valerie, and pretty much everyone but your parents and sister.” Danielle commented. “We're here.”

“Alright.” He stood at the door as she opened it. “You take care of yourself, check in when you can. We got big plans, and bad news.” He said quietly. “We'll fill you in when you visit, so hurry over as soon as you can.”

She nodded and went in, carrying her groceries. “See you, Danny.” She closed the door.

He nodded and waved before walking back to the Fenton home, swiping an unopened soda from someone's table at a diner as he passed it. “Not quite what I wanted, but it'll do.” He said, opening it as he walked.

**–**

Phantom was sleeping in their room when he was woken up by the sound of crunching metal outside. “Oh no...Danny!” He flew out through the wall and stopped short when he saw Danny gripping the front of a car, a terrified driver behind the wheel with a drink in their hand.

“Danny...please tell me you didn't _deliberately_ step out in front of this car?” Phantom said as he lowered to the ground.

“Yes and no. It was heading for the sidewalk towards me and I decided to test my limits and saved the car and driver from a fiery death.” Danny released the car and grinned. “Also, Clark Kent.” He walked over and snatched the drink from the guy's hand. “Don't drink and drive.”

The driver gave a shaky nod and looked around in disbelief before looking at Phantom .”Y-You're...Danny Phantom! I thought you were a myth!”

“The living legend.” Danny did a dramatic sweeping gesture towards Phantom before kneeling to pick up the soda he'd set down when he saw the car coming. “I'm going in, see you inside.” He headed up and opened the door, closing it behind him.

Phantom sighed. “Just...be careful. Like he said, don't drink and drive.” He flew back inside.

“So, you're gonna let him drive off and maybe kill someone recklessly?” Danny asked. “What happened to killing people to save the world?”

“I believe in second chances.” Phantom nodded firmly.

Danny raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Vlad and Skulker. “Riiiiiight. And how many 'second chances' are we going to give the politicians you were all set to kill less than an hour ago?”

“You lack conviction.” Vlad sighed. “It's clear that you need guidance. If you wish to clean up the world and right the wrongs of the human race, you must be prepared to shoot first and ask questions later.”

“Yeah, we are SO getting Dan Phantom.” Danny sighed.

“Who?” Vlad looked confused.

“Oh, it's great. In an alternate future, Phantom was removed from me with some funky device you made, so Phantom killed me and then ripped Plasmius out of you and they merged and destroyed the world until 2015!” Danny grinned.

“Why...would he do that?” Vlad asked.

“Because our parents and friends and teacher all died in an explosion at the Nasty Burger when we all met there to talk about me cheating on the C.A.T.” Phantom sighed. “As for why they split...I can't say. He went to live with you after the explosion and that's all we know before he took the other Phantom out.”

“And now Dan Phantom, after we KICKED HIS ASS for trying to force his future to happen by setting things up and taking our place in the past—present? Whatever.—and left him with Clockwork, is stuck in a thermos that future you gave us and we were gonna let him out and let him wreak havoc on the world!” Danny finished with a big grin.

“Won't he try to kill you?” Vlad furrowed his brow.

“We'll talk it over with him.” Danny shrugged. “Besides, he gets to destroy stuff, he'll be happy!”

“I don't know about this.” Vlad admitted. “I would like you to wait until I am at my full strength to release him. Just in case.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Phantom admitted.

“So, let me get this straight.” Vlad looked at them. “You two split from one person...and you've just split his personality in half?”

“Yep.” Danny nodded. “I've got the emotional instincts and willpower, he's got the logic, powers, and heroism.”

“To put it in a simple way.” Phantom commented.

“And what would happen if one of you lost the other?” Skulker asked from his spot on the couch.

“The remaining one would lose it.” Danny said with a big grin. “If this world took Phantom from me, it doesn't deserve to live.”

“I could not keep myself sane if I lost my other half.” Phantom admitted. “I would become a monster.”

“What happens when you merge again?” Vlad asked.

“A whopping headache as the memories come clashing together.” Danny held his head. “We remember _everything_ both halves did.”

“That sounds...intense.” Vlad cringed a bit.

“Oh, it totally is. But it's soooo worth it, man. Things become so much clearer when you talk to yourself about them!” Danny chugged down the rest of his soda and went to the stolen bottle.

“Please do not poison us with alcohol, I have spent a thousand years keeping that disgusting stuff out of our system.” Phantom reached over and stole it from him.

“Psh, killjoy.” Danny rolled his eyes.

“I prefer we keep our wits about us.” Phantom went to dump it down the sink.

“Hey, don't waste it.” Skulker got up and went over to snatch it from him. “Give it to someone that doesn't have to worry about poisoning their human body.” He brought to his lips and tipped it.

“Chug, chug, chug, chug, chug!” Danny chanted excitedly.

Phantom sighed and shook his head, going back over to Danny.

“So, are you planning to merge again when you've...achieved what you want?” Vlad asked.

“Depends on how long it takes. If it takes years, Danny might lose his mind when we come together.” Phantom said grimly. “It's a serious risk, doing this. I wanted to just merge and do this, but Daniel insisted that we do it separately.”

“You try enjoying the show from in a cage.” Danny grumbled.

“It's not a cage.” Phantom sighed.

“Keep tellin' yourself that. We stopped being just one person when we first used the Fenton Ghostcatcher and you know it.” Danny crossed his arms over his chest. “We shoulda' never merged again.”

“If we hadn't, you'd be dead long ago.” Phantom sighed. “I prefer this way.”

“Well, whatever, man.” Danny shrugged with a huff.

“Think about it; if you hadn't lived this long, you wouldn't be 'Clark Kent'.” Phantom coaxed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“...That's true. I'm immortal now, which is _awesome_.” Danny grinned at him.

“What is it like, not having powers?” Vlad asked.

“Lame, honestly, but he keeps me alive with his.” Danny looked at Phantom.

“And sometimes not having powers comes in handy. Like when we rescued you.” Phantom pointed out. “There was a ghost shield around your cell, but Danny broke his way in and got past it, and then freed you. I was distracting the guards the entire time.”

“Really?” Vlad looked at Danny. “I'm...surprised. I thought you hated me.”

“Man, hate is such a strong word. And besides, it's been over a thousand years. Why dwell on old grudges?” Danny shrugged.

“Well...” Vlad sighed. “You're right.”

“Though, some ghosts might still be pissed off about you almost letting the world get destroyed, so you might wanna avoid the Ghost Zone.” Skulker commented, setting down the empty bottle.

“After a thousand years?” Danny asked.

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Desiree is PISSED.” Skulker nodded firmly. “So is Spectra. They think you left your friends to their fates and escaped.”

“But, that's not what happened.” Vlad frowned.

“Dude, don't even try setting the record straight. Women are scary.” Danny cringed. “Especially those two.”

“But if you don't, they'll come after you as soon as they find out you're alive.” Skulker commented.

“Damned if you do, damned if you don't.” Phantom said grimly.

“Speaking of telling, I told Danielle to come by when she could.” Danny grinned. “Figured I'd wait for her to get here to tell her the full story about us findin' you.”

“Oh no.” Vlad looked at the door worriedly.

“Relax, she's still got those kids to look after. It won't be for a little while.” Danny said, just as the they heard a polite but firm knock on the door.

“And now I am stepping out.” Skulker said, going through the floor to the basement.

“Wait, where are you going?!” Vlad cried as he left.

“He abandoned you.” Danny cackled as Phantom went to open the door.

Phantom rolled his eyes and opened the door, looking out it. “Hello, Danielle.”

“Hi.” She shoved her hands even deeper into the pockets of her hoodie (if that was possible) and peered inside. “So...can I come in?”

Phantom opened the door wider for her. “It would be rude to refuse you after you were invited.”

“Hey, little cousin!” Danny gave a two-fingered wave.

Danielle gave him a curt nod and then turned her attention to the only other person in the house. “...Hi, daddy.”

Vlad swallowed back the lump in his throat and prepared himself to face the music.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vlad's not been looking forward to this.

**Author's Note:**

> SPACESHIP!


End file.
